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The Trollfather
About Players: * Atalie d'Orien, Human Fighter * Cade Brushgather, Halfling Bard * Shaylee d'Lyrandar, Khoravar Druid * Tara Bell, Gnome Bard Notable NPCs: * Drag, Daask mob boss Introduction It's a quiet day in the Foundation, the calming pitter patter of rain making music on the roofs of Korran-Thiven. Mr. Wencove is sipping his tal, reading the Sharn Inquisitive with his feat propped up on his desk and his door open. Down the hall, he hears and sees the front door of the Foundation slam open, a tall, muscular gargoyle standing in the doorway soaking wet. The gargoyle sees the portly administrator and rushes forward. "Where are the Wayfinders?" He demands, his voice sounding like grinding rock. "If they don't act soon, Drag is going to level the whole city" Summary The Wayfinders quickly interview "John", discovering that Drag's daughter had allegedly been kidnapped by the Boromar's during a birthday party at Gailan's. The group chooses to split up, with Tara Bell and Shaylee Leigh Lee d'Lyrandar going to Gailan's while Atalie d'Orien and Cade Brushgather heading for Drag's base in the Temple of the Six. Cade and Atalie successfully negotiate with Drag to get permission to investigate the upper city, leaving Drag's soldiers to sweep the lower city. Meanwhile, at Gailan's, Tara and Shaylee scare off a bunch of Warforged who were trying to clean up and cover up the scene of the crime. The party clued into a Dwarf who had been watching them from a distance, deducting he had been involved in the raid on Gailan's. The same dwarf observed the party when they regrouped at Gailan's and attempted to gain entry to the second floor window. Atalie chased the dwarf down, tipping some cabbages in the process. The group decided to take their hostage to Drunkin's Donuts, a local shop founded by a former colleague of Tara's. The Wayfinder's new dwarven friend proved exceptionally pliable, admitting to working for the Swords of Liberty and having some knowledge of a "repurposed" Boromar safehouse in Upper Tavick's, plus plans to attack the Boromar Wedding in the Little Plains. Promising safety to the dwarf, the Wayfinders make contact with Greta, a Boromar factory boss that Cade ran into during Upside Down. Greta was busy getting ready for the big wedding, and after some negotiations gave the Wayfinders directions to Lord Toebo ir'Tonn, the cousin of the Upper Tavick's councilmember. Up in Sunrise, the negotiations with Lord ir'Tonn start off on the wrong foot with Cade pretending to be alone and drunk while the other Wayfinders do their very best to hide in the bushes. The Wayfinders manage to salvage the situation, with Tara winning over Lord ir'Tonn and getting possible locations and mounts. The first destination the Wayfinders investigate is a restaurant in Copper Arch. Shaylee discovers a secret entrance via garbage chute, while Cade attempts to provide cover by busking. Unfortunately, his lower city tunes only draw the ire of the Sharn Watch. Tara rescues Cade by pulling rank on the watchwoman and frightening her away. Cade leads the expedition into the backdoor, but after hearing halfling voices the Wayfinders decide to turn around and move onto the second location - a jewelry shop in Silvergate. The Wayfinders strike out here as well, but Atalie at least manages to find a suitable piece of jewelry for Cinnabar. The Wayfinders, for better or for worse, find the Swords of Liberty at the third and final location - the temple of Balinor in Pinnacle. Failing to find an alternate way in, the Wayfinders try to bluff their way through the front door. Unfortunately, Cade's slick words don't fool the Swords of Liberty, and after some starts and stops to a diplomatic resolution the Wayfinders leave sore and empty-handed. However, they do manage to overhear other Swords of Liberty returning empty handed, the target they intended to capture at the Boromar Wedding ending up dead instead. The Wayfinders split, with the bruised and battered Cade and Atalie going to a Jorasco clinic while Tara and Shaylee go to the Korranberg Chronicle office. Tara runs into her Editor in Chief discussing the events of the wedding with Lord Toebo ir'Tonn's manservant, Jervo. A tense discussion later, and Tara walks out having stashed a dead-drop letter plus finding out that whomever died at the wedding was not the bride, but someone close to the bride. Reunited again in Pinnacle, the Wayfinders decide not to go after the Swords of Liberty in their base again, instead setting up inside an abandoned warehouse that Atalie had used for pit fighting previously. Tara uses sending to contact the Swords of Liberty and set up an exchange - a promise to drop pursuit in exchange for the return of Drag's daughter. The Swords agree, and the exchange goes remarkably smoothly, the Wayfinders not needing to utilize their several step contingency involving Atalie's teleportation and Shaylee turning into a horse. However, an argument erupts as soon as the Swords of Liberty leave the building, leading to Cade going off to Drag alone to inform him that his daughter has been rescued. Cade's trip down alone almost leads to him getting jumped, but a bit of bribery turned the potential muggers into an escort to the Temple of the Six. After informing Drag of the location of his daughter, Cade finds himself a temporary hostage to ensure that his words were the truth. Drag toys with the halfling, laying out a feast of meats that Cade can't entirely identify, leading to a discussion of whether Drag was trying to get the halfling to "eat people". Cade eventually settles down, not eating anything. Once Drag finishes his meal, he asks Cade what he's learned from this adventure. Cade chooses to stand his ground and make a point, calling Drag out for his brutality and ego. Drag responds by seizing the halfling and ripping his arm off, which prompts a desperate Fireball from Cade, destroying the Troll's throne but revealing that Drag's bespoke suit conferred protection from fire. As Drag beats Cade to death, Cade manages to stick a Calm Emotions spell, which gets Drag to release Cade for long enough for Cade to escape into the rest of the Wayfinders who have just arrived at the Temple of the Six separately. A burst of healing magic keeps the traumatized and disarmed halfling alive long enough to get up to the Jorasco enclave in Dragon Towers, where Cade received lifesaving medical care paid for by the Foundation. Epilogue Brunhilda walks into Drag's throneroom, where Drag is drinking coffee and reading the newspaper on a brand new throne "Daad, what's for breakfast" Brunhilda whines, wandering in wearing her zebraprint pajamas"Oh sweetie you're up so early. Here, I had one of the chefs prepare this just for you" Drag says, producing a covered plate from a throneside table "Thanks dad for breakfast." she says, sitting down at the dining table and digging into her baked arm, finger sausages, and ostrich egg breakfast with a side of toast "Looks like the Boromars got pretty beat up yesterday too. I'm glad to have you back sweetie, I was not looking forward to that conversation with your mother" Drag comments Brunhilda, having scarfed down her breakfast, stands up "Thanks dad, I want you to know I still had a good trip here up until those stupid pinkskins attacked" "I'm glad honey. Now, go finish packing up your stuff so you're ready to go" Drag replies, smiling at his baby girl Category:Expedition